Monthly Archives May 2013

Finding Clues of Depression

Depression can happen to anyone, but some seniors are more susceptible than others.  Unfortunately, it comes in many forms.  If we are waiting until a parent or loved one tells us that they are depressed, it may never happen.  Some forms don’t even have mood symptoms that we typically associate with depression.  However, depression is dangerous if left untreated, leading to lower quality of life and possible suicide.  So, what is the best way to determine if a senior is depressed? According to research done by the University of Missouri, there are a number of clues that can let us know that
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Walking for a Sharper Mind

The weather’s getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, and the air is thick with the smell of spring.  Do you need another good reason to go for a walk outside today?  Well here’s another: research shows that staying physically active keeps us mentally sharp as we age. When we are strolling along, our heart pumps strongly and our blood vessels get essentially flushed with fresh blood.  This keeps our circulatory system healthy, but it also has a great effect on your brain.  There are many blood vessels in and around the brain, supplying the hungry nerve cells with oxygen and
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Eat Green for Earth Day

Earth Day was this month, and it makes us think of ways that we can leave the world a little better for those who follow us.  One way is by eating “green”. This doesn’t mean that you need to load up on green vegetables.  (Although eating green leafy veggies is a great way to stay healthy!)  It means to eat things that are grown in a way that benefits Mother Earth. Eating locally is a great way to help the environment.  For example, imagine that you buy an apple at the supermarket down the street.  Chances are that the apple
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5 Ways for Seniors to Beat the Heat

Extreme temperatures can be particularly dangerous for the elderly. Freedom Home Care has compiled some useful tips to ensure your parents and loved ones are kept safe in the extreme heat this summer. buy cialis online without prescription 1. Hydrate. Make sure they drink plenty of water before, during, and after being outside in the heat. If a senior is on medication, it can become vital that he or she remains hydrated to keep the proper levels of the medicine in the body. Hydrate with water, not sports drink, soda, coffee, or alcohol. 2. Avoid the sun. Find a cool
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Snoozing May Lower Cancer Risk

Sleeping, snoozing, nodding off, getting shut-eye… However we say it, we need it.  Sleep regenerates our bodies, helps us form memories, and tunes up neural connections.  But now scientists are saying that catching plenty of zzz’s can also reduce our risk of cancer. order viagra no prescription When light levels are low, our tiny pineal gland releases a hormone called melatonin into our blood.  This hormone makes us sleepy and helps us drift off. And when scientists evaluated the effects of melatonin on the body, they found that it did not only help someone to sleep, but high levels were
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A Lucky Catch at the Ball Game

Talk about being in the right place at the right time!  At a recent Arizona vs. Colorado baseball game an elderly woman caught a baseball without even trying.  She was merely sitting in her seat, apparently reading, when a fly ball was hit into the stands.  The ball misses her head by inches, and lands in her lap.  This amazing event was caught on video and now has “gone viral” on the Internet. The video can be seen here on YouTube.  If an older adult is planning on going to a sports event this spring or summer, there are probably
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Crab Lady Runs Thriving Business at the Age of 74

An Mathis begins every day by trolling for crabs. After that, she prepares crab cakes from the day’s catch, and then finds time to run a successful business; All at the age of 74. An, who is also known as The Crab Cake Lady, arrived in the United States in 1972.  She needed to find a way to support her family.  With no knowledge of how to read or write in her own language, much less English, she realized that it would be a difficult task.  So she put her mind to selling crab cakes from the crabs she found
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Science and Theatre Join to Celebrate Alzheimer Day

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is once again hosting its annual Alzheimer Day.  This May 9th event allows the public the opportunity to chat with scientists, hear about new research, and attend a reading of a play by a professional Chicago theatre company. Alzheimer Day kicks off with a keynote speech by the Director of the Mayo Alzheimer’s Research Center, Dr. Ronald Peterson.  Dr. Peterson is a leading researcher in the field of Alzheimer’s and non-Alzheimer’s dementia, focusing on the stage between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease.  His speech, entitled “The Current and Future National Landscape of Alzheimer’s Disease”, promises to include
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Best Time of Your Life

What is the best time of a person’s life?  If you asked ten different people, you would probably get ten different answers.  Maybe someone would say high school or college.  Perhaps some would prefer the newlywed years or parenting their children.  Or maybe the best was being at the top of their career or simply childhood. buy cuban cigars online Well, a study was done for a book titled “Book of Times”.  The researcher studied how we spend our days, how we felt, and how long things lasted.  And she came up with what her research says is the happiest
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A Healthy Diet Makes for a Happier You

Eating well is important at any age, but becomes more so as we age.  It seems that young adults can eat nearly anything without any consequence.  But as the years go on, foods have more of an effect on a body.  Eating well-balanced meals is important to avoid conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Food is essentially energy that the cells in our body need to do their jobs.  So we need to eat enough to give those cells the energy that they need.  As we age and are not as physical, our cells don’t need
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